Love Me Tender
by Alesford
Summary: Rachel Berry had never thought much would come of their budding  secret  friendship. One-shot. Faberry.


**A/N: Another short Glee-fic that was ruminating in my mind after Norah Jones' version of "Love Me Tender" got stuck in my head. I started this story a while back and left it alone for a while, so I apologize if it feels somewhat... disjointed. As always, please review if you read.**

**Disclaimer: "Glee" does not belong to me. Neither do the lyrics.**

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**Love Me Tender**

_Love me tender  
__Love me sweet  
__Never let me go  
__For you make my life complete  
__And I love you so…_

Rachel Berry never thought she would be standing in the wings of an auditorium with a name she couldn't remember while listening to Quinn Fabray sing her heart out at the Regionals competition of their senior year. Rachel Berry had never thought much would come of their budding (secret) friendship after Beth was born (it was a secret, after all). Rachel Berry had never thought she could be watching and listening to her once-nemesis sing and feel like she was going to burst with pride, love, and joy.

It started in the hospital not twenty-four hours after New Directions' heart-crushing defeat by Vocal Adrenaline their sophomore year. Judy Fabray had gone home to rest and Noah had gone to wherever it was that he went and the small hospital room felt far too empty to the petite diva. She had returned to the hospital after visiting hours, still garbed in her costume. The desk attendant luckily (or unluckily) recognized Rachel and looked the other way as she snuck into Quinn's room (because who could deal with a Rachel Berry lecture and tirade after ten at night?).

Quinn's back was to the door when Rachel stepped inside. She opened her mouth to speak but froze when she heard the soft coo of a baby and the gentle croon of a mother singing to her daughter.

_Love me tender  
Love me true  
All my dreams fulfilled  
__For my darling, I love you  
__And I always will…_

"Quinn?" Rachel had asked as meekly as Rachel Berry does meek.

She didn't roll over. There were no harsh words spat. There was nothing. Just a simple, "What are you doing here, Rachel?" Perhaps _that_ was definitely _something_.

And that's when it started—a tentative friendship between opposites on the social spectrum (but not really opposites at all deep down). It wasn't really a public friendship (Quinn was just getting back on her feet as head Cheerio and Rachel couldn't (wouldn't) do _that _(take all of that away again) to her). The Glee clubbers suspected but nobody ever said a word. It was an unspoken truce between the group of misfits (perhaps a misguided attempt to protect their starlet and their re-appointed HBIC).

_Love me tender  
__Love me long  
__Take me to your heart  
__For it's there that I belong  
__And we'll never part_

Their junior year was filled with more smiles and less slushies and fewer pregnancies and an increase in romantic drama. Rachel thought it akin to an exciting, if somewhat depressing, soap opera in which she was one of the main stars. Quinn thought it was more like hell. Each of them pushed and pulled with a goofy, lanky brunette or a dorky, awkward, (lemon juice) blonde because it was expected and because (secret) friends weren't supposed to have some sort of (unexpected) romantic rapport with one another.

_Love me tender  
Love me true  
__All my dreams fulfilled  
__For my darling, I love you  
__And I always will_

Between dates of bowling and dinners at Breadstix with Finn or with Sam, Friday nights and movies while (cuddled) on the couch with Rachel and with Quinn seemed to sneak into the drama. Snuggling turned into spooning and chaste kisses on the cheeks turned into pecks on the lips and friends turned into something more. And as days turned to weeks to months through summer and to their senior year, 'I like you's turned to shyly whispered 'I love you's, and Rachel Berry knew as surely as Quinn Fabray did that they might actually belong together (secretly).

_Love me tender  
__Love me dear  
__Tell me you are mine  
__I'll be yours through all the years  
_'_til the end of time_

So, as Rachel Berry watched Quinn Fabray stand alone on stage, it was okay that everybody thought the blonde cheerleader was singing to her daughter. Even if it hurt just a little, the fast thumps of her heart deafened the pain and reminded her that it was okay; this was their song. And for the last repeat of the chorus, hazel eyes cast a sidelong glance and found hers, and she couldn't find it in her to scold Quinn for breaking eye contact with her audience during such an important performance. Instead, she smiled her (soon to be famous) Rachel Berry hundred-watt smile and watched the corners of Quinn's mouth tug higher as she finished the song to a standing ovation.

_Love me tender  
__Love me dear  
__Never let me go  
__For my darling, I love you  
__And I always will_


End file.
